Flexible core for paint roller and paint roller including same



Dec. 10, 1957 H. M. WEBER 2,815,563

FLEXIBLE CORE FOR PAINT ROLLERAND PAINT ROLLER INCLUDING SAME Filed Nov.30, 1955 +9 Fig.2

INVENTOR.

HARRY M. WEBER W ATTORNEY nited States Patent FLEXIBLE CORE FOR PAINTROLLER AND PAINT ROLLER INCLUDING SAME Harry M. Weber, Avon Lake, Ohio,assignor to The Sherwfirggilliams Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation 0 0 Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 549,979

7 Claims. (Cl. 29-416) This invention relates to cylindrical appliancessuch as used in painting, inking, stippling, decorating, or othercoating processes, and more particularly to devices in which tubularsurface contacting members are readily removable from the devices.

Although paint rollers as such are quite old in the art, recent advancesin the do it yourself approach have made necessary improvements in theconstruction of manually operated coating rollers. This invention isparticularly applicable to such manually operated coating rollers andwill be described with particular reference thereto, although it will beappreciated that the invention is not so limited. For example, theprinciples hereof may also be applied to mechanically operated coatingrollers such as inking rollers in automatic printing machinery.

Interchangeability of the surface contacting element of a coatingapplying roller is a highly desirable feature from the standpoint of thehome craftsman. Where oil base coating compositions are being used,considerable time is involved in removing one color from a paint rollerpreparatory to its use with another color. Ready re movability of thetubular surface contacting member, usually a napped fabric, enablesrapid change from one color to another. Even if the first tube isdiscarded, the cost of a second tube does not ordinarily equal the costof the time consumed in cleaning the first roller.

One of the problems with interchangeable surface contacting tubularmembers is that although fairly consistent internal diameters can bemachine produced, there are, nevertheless, variations in the I. D. whichmay range as high as of an inch. The impracticality of a core of fixeddiameter in a situation where such variations do occur is manifest.

It is a principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide a corefor a coating applying roller formed of a resilient sheet metal and soconstructed and shaped that it may be compressed to a reduced diameterby an applicator tube, and being thus compressed serve to retain thetube firmly. The compressibility thus afforded enables the employment oftubes that exhibit a substan tial variation in internal diameter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a core for a coatingapplying roller which is simple to construct and easily and quicklyassembled.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a core which may bemade from a rectangular sheet metal blank into which no irregularcuttings need be made prior to shaping. The cost and necessity formaking patterns is thus avoided.

Still other objects of this invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

In accordance with the present invention, there is pro vided a core fora coating applying roller comprising a pair of segments of a hollowcylinder, a member joining said segments at diametrically opposite edgesto provide a roller core of substantially S-shaped cross section, saidcore resiliently resisting compression.

The invention may take physical form in certain arrangements andcombinations of parts, a preferred embodiment of which is described indetail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned view of a complete roller assemblyembodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a core in accordance herewith.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the core shown in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, there is provided a core 1 inaccordance with this invention made of some convenient, thin, formablematerial such as sheet metal, or cast, shaped or extruded from a plasticmaterial. Fitted over either end of the core 1 are end caps 2 and 3which in turn are journaled on a pin or axle 4. The axle 4 mayconveniently be the long arm of a substantially J-shaped bent wire 5which terminates in a suitable handle 6 (partially shown). The axle 4 isprovided at its extremities with suitable cap retaining means such asdetents 7 in combination with washer 8 at the closed end, and threadedretaining means 9 at the free end for retaining the end caps in place.Fitted over the core 1 and the end caps 2 and 3 is a tubular surfacecontacting member 10, partially shown, which may have any desiredsurfacing material thereover such as napped or piled fabric 11. Thetubular member 10 is frequently and conveniently composed of a resinimpregnated cardboard or fiber material to which has been glued orotherwise secured a fabric material, e. g., napped or piled fabriccomposed of Dynel fibers. The positioning of the tubu' lar member 10over the core 1 effects a contraction of the core which in combinationwith the resiliency thereof affords means for securing the tubularmember firmly to the core and prevents movement of one relative to theother under normal conditions of use. For purposes of ease of assembly,it is desirable that the end caps 2 and 3 eifect no contraction orcompression of the core 1.

As indicated above, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the core 1 showing theextremities 12 and 13 thereof to be free of raised embossments 14. Theraised embossments 14 which are more clearly shown in the enlarged crosssection of Fig. 3 desirably extend so that the ends thereof do notextend the full length of the core 1. This is merely a preferredembodiment of the invention, it being understood that the raisedembossments 14 may extend the entire length of the core 1 if desired.

With more particular reference to Fig. 3, it will be observed that thecore 1 there shown in cross section is composed of a pair of segments ofa hollow cylinder 15 and 16. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, thesegments 15 and 16 subtend angles of approximately 87 degrees.Diametrically opposite edges 17 and 18 of the segments 15 and 16,respectively, are joined by a member 19, the whole assembly having asubstantially S- shaped cross section (depending of course upon the endfrom which the device is viewed). By the term diametrically oppositeedges, is meant the extremity of the segment lying within the hollowcylinder from which the segments may be visualized as having been cutand which edge is located a distance equivalent to the diameter of thehollow cylinder from which said segments may be visualized as havingbeen cut and on a line which would pass through the center of suchcylinder. In other words, all of the points lying in the segments 15 and16 are substantially equidistant from a common center.

The member 19 which joins edges 17 and 18 has an effective lengthequivalent to the diameter of the hollow cylinder from which thesegments 15 and 16 may be considered as having been cut.

Intermediate of the edges 17 and 18 joined by the member 19 there isprovided in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 a recess 20, which extendsfor the entire length Patented Dec. 10, 1957-v of the core 1. Suchrecess may be of any convenient shape either triangular orsemi-circular, the purpose being to allow the free passage of the axle 4without interference from the core 1.

The raised embossments 14 are a desirable though nonessential feature ofthe present invention. If present, the embossments 14 are desirablyplural in number and spaced apart to provide a plurality of bearingedges to receive the interior surface of the tubular member. Theoutermost extensions of the embossments 14 or axially aligned ribs 14lie in a common circle. In other words, the embossments or ribs 14 allhave the same height. In the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the ribs 14have a length which is substantially less than the length of the core,the entire rib lying intermediately of the ends thereby leavingthe'extremities of the core free of irregularities and hence readilyfitted to the I. D. or circular end caps which are proportioned to fitover the ends of the core 1. Again, the ribs may, if desired, extend theentire length of the core and, because the outermost extents of saidribs lie in a common circle, the core is still readily adapted toreceive and fit into a properly proportioned circular end cap.

A core having a conformity substantially in accordance with Figs. 1, 2and 3 of the annexed drawings is conveniently made of a rectangularblank 4 inches by 6 /2 inches by .015 inch. The first operation isembossing the ribs in those portions of the blank which will ultimatelybecome the tube contacting portions and the shaft avoiding depression20. Thereafter, the entire assembly is bent and formed about a suitablemandrel into the ultimate substantially S-shape herein described.

Pro-formed J-shaped bent wire handle and axle assemblies are placed in asuitable jig, and a washer placed on the shaft over the free end andresting against previously provided detents. An end cap which may bemade of metal or plastic, e. g., polyethylene or nylon, is next fittedover the free end of the shaft open end up, and one end of the core ofthe present invention merely placed in the up ended circular portion ofthe end cap. The second end cap is then fitted over the remaining freeend of the core and the axle allowed to project through the central holein the end cap. A screw or other retaining means is then placed so as tosecure the end cap to the free end of the axle. The assembly is thencompleted by sliding over the core, which resiliently resistscompression, a tubular surface contacting member having, for example, aDynel napped or piled outer surface. In this manner a manually operatedpaint roller may be constructed.

In actual use, the paint roller having been used in its ordinaryintended fashion may be dis-assembled by sliding off the used tubularsurface contacting member and replacing it with an unused tubularsurface contacting member. If the diameters of the two tubes vary by asmuch as of an inch, the resiliency of the core of the device hereindisclosed will enable one tubular member to be retained substantially aswell as the other for the intended purposes.

Other modes of applying the principle of this invention may be employedinstead of those specifically set forth above, changes being made asregards the details herein disclosed, provided the elements set forth inany of the following claims, or the equivalent of such be employed.

It is, therefore, particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed as theinvention:

l. A core for a coating applying roller comprising a pair of segments ofa hollow cylinder and a member joining said segments at diametricallyopposite edges said member being provided with a depression throughoutits entire length centrally of the ends of said member to provide aroller core of substantially S-shaped cross-section, said coreresiliently resisting compression.

2. A roller for applying coating compositions comprising a core ofsubstantially S-shaped cross section as described in claim 1, a pair ofcaps fitted over the ends of said core, a shaft journaled in said caps,means attached to said shaft for retaining said caps in position overthe ends of said core, and a tubular surface contacting member fittedover and effecting a compression of said core.

3. A core for a coating applying roller comprising a pair of segments ofa hollow cylinder and a member continuous with and joining said segmentsat diametrically opposite edges said member being provided with asubstantially semi-circular depression centrally of the ends of saidmember to provide a roller core of substantially S-shaped cross section,said core resiliently resisting compression.

4. A core comprising a pair of segments of a hollow cylinder, each ofsaid segments being provided with at least one longitudinal embossed ribof uniform height, a member joining said segments at diametricallyopposite edges said member being provided with a longitudinal depressionthrough out its entire length and intermediate the ends of said memberto provide a roller core of substantially S-shaped cross section, saidcore resiliently resistin g compression.

5. A core for a coating applying roller comprising a pair of segments ofa hollow cylinder, each of said segments being provided with a pluralityof longitudinal embossed ribs of equal height, a member joining saidsegments at diametrically opposite edges said member being provided witha substantially semi-circular depression centrally of the ends of saidmember to provide a roller core of substantially S-shaped cross section,said core resiliently resisting compression.

6. A core for a coating applying roller comprising a pair of segments ofa hollow cylinder, each of said segments being provided with a pair oflongitudinal raised embossments of equal height, and spaced apart, theends of said raised embossments being spaced from the extremities ofsaid segments, and a member continuous with and joining said segments atdiametrically opposite edges, said member being provided with asubstantially semi-circular depression located centrally of said member,to provide a roller core of substantially S-shaped cross section, saidcore resiliently resisting compression.

7. A roller for applying coating compositions comprising a core ofsubstantially S-shaped cross section as described in claim 6, a pair ofcaps fitted over the ends of said core, a shaft journaled in said caps,means attached to said shaft for retaining said caps in position overthe ends of said core, and a tubular surface contacting member fittedover and effecting a compression of said core.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

